Target apparatus.



PATETED JULY 3, 1906.

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PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.

C. H. DUFFY. TARGET APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16.1905.

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UNITED sfrArEs y ParENfr oEEroE.

CHARLES H. DUFFY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC TARGET MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.v

TARGET APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

To ctZZ 'Lu/wm, zit muy concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. DUFFY, a citizen of the YUnited States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target Apparatuses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to target apparatuses such as are employed in connection with simulated guns, pistols, or other firearms. In some of these devices, it may be explained, the indicator at thc target showing the point aimed at by the marksman is controlled electrically and appears at the point on the target to which the aim is directed when the marksman closes the circuit by pulling the trigger. Such a target apparatus will be found fully described in the patents to McCullough, No. 679,325, of July 30, 1901, and No. 707,617, of August 26, 1902. In some other of these devices no electricity is employed, the indicator being controlled and moved about mechanically over the target-field by the act of aiming the simulated gun or pistol. The patent to McCullough, No. 768,536, of August 4, 1904, shows an apparatus of this character.

The object of the present invention is to provide a target apparatus wherein when the simulated rearm is aimed and the trigger pulled an illuminatedindicator or indicatingspot will appear on the target at the point aimed at by the marksman.

In` the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate embodiments of the invention, Figures 1 to 8 illustrate the application of the invention to a target apparatus in other respects similar to that shown in the before-mentioned patent, No. 679,325. Fig. 1 is a general and somewhat diagrammatic side view, on a,relatively small scale, of the entire apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan of the contact-disk. Fig. 3 is a section of said disk and shows also the common contact point or terminal. Fig. 4 is a face view of the targetbox with a part of the target broken away. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the target-box. Fig. 6 is an inside view of the target-box from the front, showingthe circuit-wires. Fig. 7 is a view showing the inner face ofthe target and form of illuminated spot. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the box'taken at line :t8 in Fig. 4.

It will only be necessary to describe the )ing to it are illustrated iniFigs. 4 to 8.

general 'features brieiy, as they are fully illustrated and described in the before-mentioned patent, No. 679,325.

1 is a simulated firearm mounted universally on a stand 2, and 3 is the tar et-box, mounted also on a stand 4 at a fixed istance from the firearm 1.

Below the firearm in the stand is mounted a contact-disk 5, (seen contact with some segment of the disk 5" closes an electric circuit through one of the eight circuit-wires W and return-wire W', supplied by the battery B. All of the above features are shown in the patents, Nos. 679,325 and 707,617, before mentioned. According to the present invention each segment or part C and S of the disk 5 forms a terminal of a circuit through an incandescent lamp at the target correspondingin'position with the position of the segment in the disk.

For example, the bulls-eye contact C is a terminal of a circuit through a lamp at the bulls-eye of the target.

The target and the no vel features pertain- In these figures, 6 is the target in the front ofthe box 3. It may be of translucent or ground glass with an outer Zone, (marked 3,) an inner zone, (marked 4,) and a bulls-eye, (marked 5,) Fig. 4. Within the target-box 3, back of the target, are mounted nine incandescent lamps 7 four for the segments of the outer zone, four for the segments of the inner zone, and one for the bulls-eye. As stated, each of these lampsis in circuit with one of the wires W and all are in circuit with the return-wire W and the terminal T. Fig. 6 shows the connelcting-wires in the box, and Figs. 5 and 8 show the binding-posts 8 at the back of the target-box. This is a mere matter of electriclight wiring and can be done by any electrician. Fig. 8 shows the screens about the several lamps for concentrating the light on one spot on the target. This device, as herein shown, consists of a thin metal plate 9 at ros,

the back of the target having in `it holes, one for each lamp. Projecting inward from this plate at the several holes and housing the respective lamps are tubular screens 10. These screens will be, by preference, of polished metal and will aid in concentrating a round spot of light on the targetwhen the lamp is lighted by the closure of the circuit through it.

As herein shown there is a disk 9a of opaque material between the plate 9 and the target, Figs. 7 and 8, provided with holes or apertures corresponding in position to the lamps 7 and to the holes in the plate 9, and on the back of the translucent target, Fig. 7, are paintedy round black spots 9b. With this construction lthe indicator will be a bright ringv of light encircling a black spot--that is, this is what( glass of the target at--the bulls-eye may be stained red. These are details to which the invention is not limited.

In the targetdevice or apparatus shown in the Patent No. 67 9,325 before mentioned, there is a device for automatically breaking the circuit closed by pulling the trigger after the indicator has been displayed at the target for a few seconds, and the same or a similar device will be employed in the present apparatusl for automatically breaking the circuit through the lamp at the target. This device is now well known, and it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate it herein.

Obviously the invention can be applied to a mechanically-operated apparatus similar to that shown in the said Patent No. 7 38,536 by Aproducing an illuminated spot on the target in lieu of a black spot, the circuit through the lamp employed being completed by pulling the trigger of the firearm, as above described.

In the description of the invention herein Lshown it will be noted that the device which 1s universally mounted and which is aimed by the marksman has been called a f firearm, or

simulated firearm, but it must be understood that this device may be of any kind that can be aimed and which has a trigger or its equivalent. In this class of target apparatus the firearm, so called, is usuallymade to simulatea gun or pistol. It should be noted also that any selecting means or means whereby the aiming of the firearm determines the point on the target Where the illumination is to appear may be employed, and the same may be said as to the means controlled by the trigger Jfor effecting such illumination of the target.

Having thus described my invention, -I claim- 1. A target apparatus, having a universally-mounted firearm, a target sufiiciently translucent to permit light to pass through it, an incandescent lamp behind the target, for illuminating a spot thereon, means controlled by the trigger of the firearm for completing an electric circuit throughsaid lamp, the circuit and generator for supplyingI said lamp, and means, controlled by the movement of the firearm in aiming, which determines the position of said illuminated spot on the target.

2. A target apparatus, having a univer-- sally-'mounted firearm, a target sufficiently translucent to permit light to pass through it, an incandescent lamp behind the target, for illuminating a spot thereon, means controlled by the trigger of the firearm for completing an electric circuit through said lamp, and the circuit and generator for supplying said lamp.

3. A target apparatus, having a universally-mounted firearm, a target of translucent material, a plurality of incandescent lamps disposed behind said target, electric circuits -including the respective lamps and a generator, means controlled by the movement of the firearm in aiming, which selects one of said lamps, and means controlled by the trigger of the firearm, which closes the circuit through the lamp selected. i

4. In a device for the purpose specified, the combination of a target 6 of translucent material, a plurality of incandescent lamps 7 behind said target, circuits through the respective lamps, said circuit including a generator,

tubular screens about the respective lampsv and extending up to the target, a universallymounted firearm adaptedto be aimed at the target, and means, controlled lby the operation of said firearm for selecting and completing the circuits through the lamps.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 14th day ofJune, 1905, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. DUFFY.

Witnesses GEORGE M. HAAs, JAMES KING DUFFY.

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